Why am I stuck in magician Hell?

So I was recently discussing magic competitions with some other performers and looking at some of the criteria in which they judge on. A rather odd thing came to our attention as one known convention has the judges base some of their score off of "Entertainment Value". Now I dunno about you guys but I don't find ballet entertaining, but some people do.

So who puts the power into these judges hands to deem what is entertaining when it is subjective all the way around? If you compete in a competition and perform illusions but 3/5ths of the judges like manipulation and think that is entertaining isn't that an unfair bias? What if an entire crowd of REAL people find your act entertaining but a small handful of people who may or may not be pros in your field do not? What happens then? You get a bad score and doubt yourself.

I say many magic competitions do more harm than good to someone. Just because some 60+ amateurs do not like what you do doesn't mean you should not do it. Life has been made up of people who said screw the naysayers and did what they wanted. Some of them were idolized... and some were forced to drink hemlock. The latter isn't seen as much anymore.. at least not in the US.

So remember when yer going into a competition, do not go in to win. Go in to have fun, show off what you can do, and remind people who you are. People who have competition acts don't always do well in the real world.... and that's where the money is.

This applies to stage and close up. Just because someone doesn't like the way you dress does that give them the right to count off of your skill or entertainment value? NO! They will do it tho'...

Just keep your eyes forward and don't forget who you are and where you want to go. It's your art.. not theirs.

Bizzaro.